Best things to do in Owensboro

The O.Z. Tyler Distillery in Owensboro, Kentucky has a storied past dating back to the late 1800s. The 25-acre distillery site last produced whiskey in 1993 as the Medley Distillery and then laid dormant until it was purchased by the Terressentia Corporation in 2014. After extensive renovations, the distillery was renamed for O.Z. “Ty” Tyler, co-inventor of the TerrePURE® process, which we use to refine our bourbon after it has been barrel-aged.

The O.Z. Tyler Distillery began producing Kentucky Bourbon in August, 2016 and will begin bottling in 2017.

The Gift Shop is open Monday through Friday from 10am - 3pm, and Satrudays 10am - 4pm (CST).

Hard-hat tours are available Monday through Friday at 11am and 2pm, and Saturdays at 11am, 1pm, and 3pm.

Winding through the ground for nearly 652 km (405 mi), the World Heritage Site Mammoth Cave claims the title, by a significant margin, of longest cave system on the planet. You won’t be the only one surveying the cave. Exploration continues constantly, so the official length of the system continues to grow with the discovery of new passageways, tunnels, and caverns. In addition to thousands of bats, the subterranean labyrinth possesses a nearly 6,000-year history of humans, beginning with pre-Columbian natives of the region. The National Park Service runs multiple versions of its cave tours of varying length, which can take you on popular paths or on more adventurous routes that require some tight squeezes and nimbleness. Watch for geological mineral and rock formations scattered throughout the cave.

Yellow Creek Park provides a multifaceted recreational and leisure opportunity. Nestled along the wooded banks of Yellow Creek at Thruston, the 152 acre park features hiking trails, multi-purpose sports areas, the Lambert Pioneer Village, and several outdoor pavilions. Other amenities that set Yellow Creek Park apart from other area parks include a swinging bridge, a refurbished one room school house, a stocked 7 acre lake, and multiple walking trails.

Yellow Creek Park is a frequent backdrop for both professional and amateur photographers. Family portraits and senior pictures are often taken near one of the two reconstructed covered bridges, the iron bridge and the James Lambert Pioneer Village. The Pioneer Village boasts two log cabins and two log barns that are the perfect setting for photos, weddings and family gatherings. More information on the James Lambert Pioneer Village can be found here.

Sports enthusiast can also enjoy the multitude of recreational opportunities the park has to offer. Yellow Creek Park has a basketball court, 2 tennis courts, 4 volleyball courts, and 3 softball/baseball diamonds. The park is also home to an 18 hole disc golf course which has hosted several tournaments since its founding.

Once a year the park is host to the annual River of Music Party (ROMP). Bluegrass enthusiasts descend on Yellow Creek Park to enjoy the wonderful mix of music and nature. More information about ROMP can be found at www.rompfest.com.

Located off of Highway 81 on Wayne Bridge Road, Panther Creek Park features 4 screened-in shelters and 3 open air pavilions. Shelters are available for rental April 1 - October 31 each year. Many groups host company picnics, family reunions and birthday parties. Wedding are frequently held at the two gazebos in the park.

The park also boasts a 6 acre lake that is regularly stocked by the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife. Waterfowl and turtles also call the lake home, making it a wonderful educational experience. Fishing guidelines follow those of the Kentucky Department of Fish & Wildlife and are posted at the park.

Seven walking trails wind throughout the park with 1,800 feet of elevated trails. Visitors are invited to explore the wetlands as well as wooded areas. Trails are handicapped accessible. You can find our trail guide here.

Six ball diamonds are available, accommodating softball and baseball. Regional and national level tournaments are played at Panther Creek Park nearly every weekend during the summer, Local leagues play and practice at the park throughout the week.

The Western Kentucky Botanical Garden (WKBG) is a botanical garden in Owensboro, Kentucky. The garden contains several themed gardens, including a large collection of daylilies with an American Hemerocallis Society-recognized display garden. Other gardens include a large herb garden, a rose garden, an English cottage garden, a Kentucky symbol quilt garden, a Japanese memorial garden, an ericaceous garden, the Moonlite Children’s garden, the University of Kentucky Extension display garden, and a Western Kentucky University experimental garden. The garden also includes several ponds and many works of public art, including insect and wind sculptures.

Buildings in the garden include a house donated and moved to the garden and used for administration offices and gatherings, a large gazebo, an educational classroom building with attached conservatory, an English Cottage, a Country Doctors office built in 1890, a Children’s Playhouse, and an antique ticket booth built in 1890.

WKBG is part of the American Horticultural Society's Reciprocal Admissions Program.

We are open daily Tuesday thru Thursday 10-5, Friday and Saturday 10-9, and Sun 10-5.

The new restaurant is open Tuesday through Thursday 10:30-3:00, Friday and Saturday 10:30-9, and Sunday 10:30-3:00. It serves, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and entrees like catfish, fried chicken and meatloaf.

Preservation Station markets specializes in the antique, the vintage, and the unique. We even have a boutique. Vendors lease space on a month to month basis, and shoppers delight in the unique, the quirky, and the beautiful finds from our vendors in this 39,000 square foot facility. We also have a beauty salon called the Old School Salon.

Market Days takes place on the first weekend of every month- Saturday and Sunday 10-5 p.m.

We will buy your antique and vintage items!

The gym can be rented to host events as large as 400 people.

Lost River Cave is a seven-mile cave system located in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The Lost River originates outside of the cave and flows into it. The cave contains one of the largest natural entrances in the Eastern U.S. Boat tours are available year-round, but closed for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day. The river was once listed by Ripley's Believe it or Not as the "Shortest, deepest river in the world" because the blue hole is over 437 feet deep, while the river itself is only 400 feet long. In fact, the blue hole is only 16 feet deep, but is linked to a further underground river. The 72-acre cave property is jointly owned by Western Kentucky University and the non-profit Friends of Lost River Cave.

At National Corvette Museum, you'll see over 70 Corvette models and concept cars as well as company history exhibits. Browse through thousands of photographs, movies, videos, and memorabilia. You'll have the chance to buy books, car accessories, apparel, souvenirs, and other Corvette-related merchandise. Have lunch or a snack at the 1950s-inspired Corvette Cafe, with grilled items, sandwiches, wraps, soups, and salads. In February 2014, a sinkhole opened at one of the exhibits and took several cars with it. However, the sinkhole simply became an additional tourist attraction.